Dying of the Light
by Imaginary Raine
Summary: When she moved to Mystic Falls, Anna Potter expected life to become normal and boring. She didn't expect vampires. Nor did she expect werewolves, doppelgängers and ancient curses, really. But she wasn't complaining. It was certainly better than the boredom she was experiencing while she waited for his arrival. Fem!Harry.
1. Prologue

This is something that has been in my mind for a while now, and a would like to thank both **whitedwarf **and **salllzy** for their support if this story. This fic is dedicated mainly to them.

This has not been betaed. If you find any error, please, tell me so I fix it as soon as I can.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and The Vampire Diaries are property of their own respective creators.

...

**Summary: **When she moved to Mystic Falls, Anna Potter expected life to become normal and boring. She didn't expect vampires. Nor did she expect werewolves, doppelgängers and ancient curses, really. But she wasn't complaining. It was certainly better than the boredom she was experiencing while she waited for his arrival.

* * *

**_Prologue_**

It has been a while since Anna Potter has moved to Mystic Falls under the advice of her friend Luna; fifteen months in fact. The blonde had assured her that the one she was looking for would arrive in the little town in the near future, and if she wanted any chance to meet him again _soon,_ that was the place to go.

Luna Lovegood was one of her best friends from school and had never steered her wrong all those times she had come to her in times of need (and there have been plenty). The only difficulty was to make sense of the words spoken in riddles more often than not, even if they did make perfect sense to the blonde. Luna was capable of seeing things others could not, which made the way she interpreted the world significantly different. It was a gift that was becoming stronger with the passing of the years. There was no doubt in Anna's mind that, without Luna, she would be searching for a while before finding him.

So with her words of assurance, Anna had packed her bags, said goodbye to her friends and family and moved to the other side of the pond, to a quaint town located in the state of Virginia.

Mystical Falls was the typical small community where everybody knew each other by name. In fact, not only they knew your name, they also knew the name of your parents, your grandparents and most probably your whole family tree. They probably also knew your pet's name, if you had any. The townspeople were very proud of the local history, which meant there was no shortage of parties and fairs and other such events to celebrate the important dates and inhabitants. In a way, it reminded Anna of the Wizarding Communities, only less magical. And with more parties.

Once completely settled, she waited for his arrival.

She was there to see the supernatural events transpiring, though she had decided to remain in the background. She had no wish to be in the spotlight after finally gaining some anonymity, something that was quite difficult for her to attain nowadays. Back home, she couldn't even sneeze without it becoming front page. Quite annoying if you asked her, not that anybody ever did, they just stamped her photo on the newspaper alongside some inane theory about her health and a 'get well soon'.

But that was beside the point. Such events were _not_ hers to intrude upon. But just because she hadn't interfered, it didn't mean that she hadn't kept a close eye on them. She was bored as hell and had nothing else better to do while she waited (though she usually went to either Salem or Ipswich to pass the time when the tedium became a little too much), and the skirmishes that usually took place served as nothing more than amusement to her. Also, it was not as if the involved people were doing a good job in hiding what was happening in there. Anyone with eyes could see that there was something wrong with the place.

The arrival of the Salvatore brothers had been all it took for the boredom go away. One glance at them and she had known exactly _what_ they were. For a while, she had been curious about the weakened state of the younger brother – Stefan, she had learnt later, was his name – and had pondered on what could be causing it. From the color of his skin she had been able to surmise that he was well-fed, but he was so inherently _weak_ that she could not help but be _flummoxed _by it.

She would also wonder about his sanity, occasionally. Who in their right mind wants to go back to high school when they had absolutely no reason to? It was madness!

The elder brother, on the other hand, was the typical vampire she had read about in her Defense books: a predator basking in the thrill of the hunt, leaving a trail of corpses behind him wherever he went. Though his skill in controlling the weather and his ability to fly, not to mention his control over that crow, were things that she had never seen mentioned anywhere. And she had searched for it in the ancient and new tomes that made up the Potter and Black libraries. She had even gone so far as to try and read some of the old books and manuscripts left by the Peverells, Gryffindors and Slytherins. There had been nothing. The closest she could come to and the only other vampire that she knew of with similar abilities was Dracula, even if his were special circumstances. _How_ he had acquired such set of skills has _never_ been documented, and he was _not_ sharing. Not even his fledglings knew how to do half the things the Count did. Anyway, she doubted that the Voivode of Wallachia would have taught anything but humility and respect to the older Salvatore, proud little thing that he was. Besides, few people realized that he was indeed real, never mind he still being around. It was amusing to see that even amongst other vampires he remained a myth.

But back to Mystic Falls.

The passing of the comet had been a once in a lifetime experience. Also a beautiful thing to see. Anna had used the opportunity to draw upon its energy to strengthen the wards she had put in place around her house to the point it could have been a fortress. Some would have called her paranoid, but she was of the firm belief it was not paranoia when someone was out to get you. To this day, she still cursed the Fates for that blasted prophecy (along with Dumbledore and Voldemort), which still painted a target on her back, at every opportunity she got.

After she had made sure her current home was safe, she had spent her time observing the vampire brothers and the people around them.

It hadn't taken long for the reason of Damon's arrival in Mystic Falls to be brought to light (Stefan's was quite obviously Elena). She would be the first to admit that she had admired the love and devotion he bestowed upon this Katherine of his. That kind of love, the one that enables one to go to the ends of the world for their loved ones, was rare nowadays. Though she couldn't help but feel disgruntled at his lack of foresight. With the way he had pranced all around, no Wiccan would have been willing to help him even if he had managed to secure his amulet.

To discover that there had been another vampire wanting to open that tomb was not as much of a surprise as the little gang of misfits would want it to be. Honestly, vampires have long lived lives, who knows how many connections they were able to make during their time on Earth?

Anna had applauded their tenacity when they were finally able to open the tomb, though it had saddened her to hear that the price of their success had been Sheila's life. The elder Wiccan had been a good friend. When she discovered that the Bennett's sacrifice had been in vain, she had almost gone out to kill the stupid little shits. In the end though, she hadn't. But that was not to say that her living room hadn't taken the brunt of her temper. When she had finally calmed down, there were broken furniture, walls and decorations everywhere. Thankfully, all the magical portraits and books were in her study, which meant they had been quite safe. Still, she had gone straight to the bottle of firewhiskey, poured its contents in a tumbler she had grabbed, and downed it in one go. She had poured herself another glass and raised it in memory of the witch.

Sheila's funeral was one of the few times she had interacted with Bonnie. It was a sad day.

The Founder's Day had been an eventful day all around, with parades and reenactments and everything else. Even after one and a half years living here, she still wasn't used to these kinds of things. Balls and high classes events, sure. It came with the family name, unfortunately. But historical parades, on the other hand… those were _mundane_ things.

Starting from that day, things had become even more hectic for little triangle, what with the massacre of the vampires, the coming back of the elder doppelgänger (and what a surprise it had been to discover that the Salvatores' Katherine was _that_ _Katerina_), a newly turned vampire, the moonstone, kidnappings, and werewolves and Wiccans coming to town. Yes, those had been eventful days alright.

Through it all, she had observed. And while she had regretted every life lost these last months, she was still resolute that it had not been her place to interfere. It was _not_ her fight. Even though she knew there was a possibility that it could change.

And when she was about to firecall Luna once again to ask her how much longer she would have to wait, she felt it.

She froze, her annoyance giving place to surprise, which in turn gave place to delight.

A smile tugged at her lips and she unfroze; muscles that had tensed, coiling up in anticipation, relaxed and she straightened up from the instinctual almost-crouch that she had fallen into. Opening her hand, she left the powder that she had grabbed fall back in the pot by the fireplace and dusted her hands. Turning around, she went to one of the windows that faced the town's direction and regarded the world outside the walls of her home. She closed her eyes and concentrated.

After a while, she opened her eyes, her smile turning into a grin. Joy welled up in her and left her in the form of a resounding laugh.

He had finally arrived.


	2. Chapter 1

So guys, here is the much awaited chapter 1 of Dying. I'm sorry it took this long. I would say it was because life has been a bitch, but it was not the only reason. Ideas for this story seem to be ever changing. I would sit down and write something only to erase it and write something different the next time I opened the document.

Finally, yesterday, I decided enough was enough and chose one of the many ideas battling for attention, challenging myself I would update this before Christmas. I just hope it's up to everyone's expectation, and if it's not, well... tough.

This fic, like all the others, has not been betaed, meaning that I not-so-proudly own all mistakes. If you find any, please, notify me so they can be fixed.

Also, many thanks to **salllzy** for forever being my soundboard.

* * *

_Chapter 1_

Elijah would be the first to admit he was pleasantly surprised when the news of a Petrova doppelgänger reached his years. Mind, he had been sceptic at first when Rose-Marie mentioned one, because he was sure that the Petrova line had ended with the death of Katerina's family. He couldn't be any happier to be proven wrong. That she knew the exact location of the moonstone was the icing on the cake.

Seeing the child trying to negotiate with him had been amusing, but he couldn't find in himself the inclination to play games with her. So he compelled the information out of her. Before he could get anymore from her – besides the exact location of Katerina – there was a crash in the entrance hall.

He stood there, observing as the vampires tried to play. He did not expect a stake through his hand, or for the girls to vanish from his side. So he started to talk, trying to draw them away from their hiding places. "You're making a great mistake if you think that you can beat me. You can't." Yes, he was quite confident in himself; he was an Original, after all. He waited for their reaction, makeshift stake in hand, and was rewarded with the doppelgänger's words of surrender.

He blurred towards her, clearly suspicious, and received a smattering of vervain for his efforts. Was that a vervain _grenade?_ Didn't matter. It still burnt. He went up the steps, ignoring the wooden bullets, only to be unceremoniously thrown all the way back down and impaled.

He woke up hours later, stake still holding him to the wall. It seemed that he was a little too overconfident and a lot careless. He wondered what Anna would say about it if she knew. He suppressed a grimace at the thought.

-.-.-

Elijah watched from the other side of the street as Damon Salvatore, Rose-Marie and Slater talked about the Curse of the Sun and the Moon. He was still idly playing with the coins in his hands, waiting for the right moment to act.

He threw them with enough force to break the reinforced glasses and watched as pandemonium issued. He stayed a few seconds to watch his handwork, but left before Damon could see him, his mission already accomplished.

Later, he followed Slater home and compelled him to tell Rose about the moonstone and witch. The Original congratulated the scholar on a job well done and got questioned about his ability to compel another vampires.

"I'm a special vampire."

"Because you're an Original?" Elijah had to hand it to the kid, he was smart. Too smart, in fact. But he had already served his purpose, so Elijah compelled him to kill himself, and then proceeded to the dead vampire's computer. He was just about to wipe all the information there when he found a file named _The Girl Who Lived_. He hesitated a little, but in the end he printed all the information Slate had on her, then proceeded to delete everything. All this was made under the disapproving eyes of his warlock. Dear God, it was at times like this that he missed Anna the most. At least, whenever she disapproved of his actions, it was never tainted by the thought that he was an abomination and should not exist. It was just her thinking he was being an ass – her exact words.

The next day, he was seated at a table with Dr. Martin; the items that the latter had gone out to collect the night before so he could cast a locating spell were spread over it. A part of him wondered if the doppelgänger had noticed their disappearance even as he questioned the warlock how this spell would work.

And surprise, surprise! The doppelgänger was at Slater's house. Now what could she possibly be doing there?

He arrived a few moments after three other vampires. He downed one of them; the breaking of bones loud enough to call everyone's attention to him. The Original walked to the other two and stared at them, while ignoring the fleeing Rose-Marie.

"I killed you," Damon said, disbelief pouring out of him in waves. "You were dead."

"For centuries now," he answered and turned his attention to the unknown vampires. After a brief exchange – in which they discovered who he was and tried to ingratiate themselves with him by trying to offer him the doppelgänger so he could take her to Klaus, and he ascertained that no one knew where they were – he ripped their hearts from their chest and left both Salvatore and Gilbert to their own device.

-.-.-

The next time he met Elena, he had gotten everybody else to believe that he was a writer and he wanted information for his new book. So here he was, in the Gilberts' household waiting as the lovely Jenna Sommers collected the files that he would need. He, of course, played his part very well, pretending that he and Elena had never met before. It was kind of disappointing, though, to see that she wasn't as good an actress, looking all frightened like that. Fortunately, Jenna didn't notice a thing.

Less than a minute after he left, he was back to stop the doppelgänger from exposing his little charade. Instead, they went to her room so they could have a little chat. He had a deal to offer, after all. So he told her what he wanted from her; in exchange he would protect her friends.

"How are you gonna be able to keep everyone safe?" She asked him. Good, she was considering his offer.

"You know, I noticed you have a friend… Bonnie, is it?" He asked even though he already knew the answer. "She seems to possess the gift of magic. I have friends with similar gifts," he told her.

"You know witches," she said, looking resigned, and crossed her arms. It was almost amusing. Did she really think that she was the only one? There were thousands of witches around the world. And that was without including the hidden communities, the ones who had magic inside of them, they who did not require channeling their ancestors to cast spells. And even if a great part of them hated vampires, there were still those who owed them or wanted to gain favors. Sometimes, it was a bit of both.

Thinking about witches brought Anna to the forefront of his mind. He wondered where she was now. The last time he heard from her, it was a year after she had killed Voldemort; she had just finished her seventh year in Hogwarts and decided she wanted to travel. Most of all, she wanted to meet a War Mage and Healers. He also remembered that she was quite interested in the magic that kept him alive. She said it was Spirit Magic and that, in her world, it was linked with Necromancy. He still wondered why did this keep her interest.

"Together we can protect everybody that matters to you," he told Elena and saw as the words registered in her brain. He knew she would accept it, if only so her family and friends would be kept safe. "So, do we have a deal?"

-.-.-

A few days later, he was at the Historical Society. He sometimes forgot how much of a bore these kinds of events were, having to play nice and all. Luckily for him, Damon decided it would be nice to interfere, so after being introduced to each other by Carol Lockwood, they went to a more private room, where Damon proceeded to interrogate him about his motives. When the Salvatore decided to challenge him, Elijah didn't know if he should feel offended or amused, but stuck a pencil in the younger's neck either way.

So, after making sure that Damon would listen to his words, he left.

-.-.-

It was starting to become amusing… the way Damon kept on getting saved by him. This was the third time already, wasn't it? It would seem the kid was not as tough as he wanted anyone to believe. It hasn't even been a month since they met each other and the amount of life debts they owed Elijah kept increasing. Not that any of them knew what a life debt was. At the moment, it didn't matter. But he knew the day would come when he would collect them. He just had to be patient.

He broke the chains that held the blue-eyed vampire and left. He still had a file to read, after all.

-.-.-

He entered the Grill with Jenna, and she quickly made her way to the booth where her newscaster friend, Damon and Alaric were. They exchanged a few words. Elijah, though, was not paying attention to any of it. His mind was still on the file he had finally finished reading the night before. He was still trying to process everything he had read. And he was also at a loss at how Slater had acquired all the information he had on the witch. Elijah had not been searching for Anna this past decade, but he knew that it would be difficult to find anything on her if one didn't know where to go to. The Original knew that the first place he would have gone – not counting Grimmauld Place – would be Luna Lovegood's home.

Plain and simple.

But that did not explain how the information was gathered. Anna was paranoid, and he doubted her friends would tell anything about her whereabouts. Still, if the file was to be believed, he would have plenty of opportunities to ask, seeing as she seemed to be in Mystic Falls.

He refocused on the conversation happening in front of him just in time to see the History teacher excusing himself, ready to get away from him, and to hear the newscaster speaking about a dinner party, when they were interrupted.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Elijah almost froze at the sound of that voice. He _knew_ it. In fact, he knew it very well. He was thinking about its owner just instants before. He turned around in time to see the hand that was fixing the glasses on her face drop, and his dark eyes met emerald ones. She turned away from him so she could greet everybody. She gave the blonde a quick hug, "Hello, Jenna," and nodded her head to the others, "Mr. Salvatore, Mr. Saltzman, Ms. Star," her eyes finally returned to his and a smile tugged at her lips, "Elijah."

His first reaction was to ask her what she was doing here of all places, because he really didn't want to believe whatever was written on that file about her current whereabouts. At all. Any place was better than Mystic Falls at this moment.

Anyway, he suppressed the urge before anything could leave his mouth and paused. How did she manage to get this close without him feeling her? He concentrated. He felt absolutely _nothing._ His eyes narrowed. _Why_ couldn't he feel her?

"Wait a minute!" He was brought back by Jenna's loud exclamation. "You two know each other?" Her gaze was going from one to the other in quick succession, trying to process this new information. She was not the only one; from the corner of his eyes, he could see Alaric and Damon exchanging glances.

"We go way back." He refocused on green orbs, seeing them being filled with amusement.

He finally became aware that, in his astonishment at realizing she really was in Mystic Falls instead of any other place on Earth, he had failed to return her greeting. He grabbed her hand and brought it to his lip, as manners dictated. "Anna." As soon as he let her hand go, the mirth he felt from her as soon as their skins touched ceased, and he was left once again with a void where their connection should exist.

He turned to the others and saw the speculative gazes. He ignored it and addressed Ms. Star, inquiring about what she was talking previously. She immediately started gushing about the dinner party they should have. The four of them seemed quite enthusiastic about it. If it was not for Jenna's presence and agreement, he would have been suspicious. In fact, a little part of him still was, because: was Damon really inviting _him_ to his house? Still, he agreed to their get together and turned to Anna.

"Will you be coming as well?" His suggestion was met with approval from both women, and all eyes turned to Anna as she blinked. She seemed quite surprised to have been included in this. Ah, dear, sweet Anna... she never knew how to act when someone showed her kindness.

"Sorry," she said and ran a hand through her thick, black hair. A gesture Elijah knew she did every time she was either nervous or embarrassed. "I'm kinda busy tonight."

"It's okay," Jenna said, smiling at her. "There is always next time."

Anna sent her a grin before looking at her watch. "Well, I gotta go," she said.

Elijah looped her hand through his arm, relishing in their connection reappearing. "I shall accompany you." He had some time to kill before he had to be at the Salvatore's Boarding House. He felt her surprise at his sudden gesture, though her face never changed.

"See you guys around," she waved. They were at the door when he heard the quartet start gossiping.

They made their way out of the Grill and she led him to the back alley. Once there, she turned on the spot and he felt as if he had been squeezed through a tiny tube. They appeared on a porch, and Anna opened the door while he regained his bearings. Gods, he _hated_ apparition.

"Come in, Elijah," she said and they entered. As soon he stepped through the threshold, he felt the protective magic that was cast around the place. He shuddered. Those were _very_ powerful wards. For a moment, he wondered if she expected to be attacked by someone. He mentally snorted, of course she did; she was Anna Potter, after all. And if that wasn't enough, she was in Mystic Falls, where Murphy's Law reigned supreme and there was a chance it would lead to the apocalypse.

She led him to the living room and poured them firewhiskey. He sipped from his glass, savoring the distinguished flavor, and watched as she sat herself on the couch in front of him. They stared at each other for a while. He took in all the changes she had gone through during this decade they had been apart. She had become a gorgeous woman.

There was also something… it had to do with her magic, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He closed his eyes and trying to concentrate on the feel of her magic. Though, no matter how much he tried, he couldn't really get a feel of it. It was like trying to reach it through glass. He could tell it was different, but that was all. He opened his eyes, frustrated at not being able to clearly sense her, and saw that she was regarding him, her head tilted to the side.

"It's been a while, Elijah, how are you?"

"I'm quite well, my dear. And from what I can see, so are you," he said with a smile, getting a grin from her. Lord, he had missed her; the one person who had accepted him unconditionally. But no matter how glad he was to see her, he had to know what she was doing here. He sighed. "Why are you in Mystic Falls?" He asked her. The grin fell from her face and he watched as she stood up and went to stare outside the window, arms crossed.

"You can't sense me, can you?" He froze, having not expected this question. He opened his mouth to answer, but no sound came out. He heard her sigh. "I don't blame you. In fact, I was expecting it," she stated. Elijah frowned at those words. What did she mean by them? Casting the thought aside for the moment, he decided to focus on his earlier question.

"You still haven't answered me," he retorted and took a swing of the alcoholic beverage. It burnt as it made its way down his throat, and was strong enough to sate his eternal cravings for a while. Absentmindedly, he pondered if he should stock up on firewhiskey or not. It was certainly more effective than any common liquor he could find. He was brought out of his musings by Anna's voice.

"I've been living in this town for fifteen months, waiting for you to appear." He didn't ask how she knew he would come. He was sure it was the little Lovegood who had told her. The question was _why_ had she come. Also, it seemed that Slater's information on how long she had been at Mystic Falls was quite accurate. It made him wonder what else was true. "You know, I felt it the exact moment you stepped inside this town." He frowned. This brought back to the forefront of his mind the fact he couldn't feel her. And why hadn't she come up to him?

"You've been waiting for me. Why?"

She finally turned to him. Arms still crossed, she leaned against the windowsill. "To help you, of course," the grin returned to her face. His dark eyes met her green ones in a disbelieving stare. The mischief present in those eyes caused a bubble of wariness to form in him. "Someone has to keep an eye on you, make sure that your age doesn't catch up to you and makes you into an arrogant ass." Her grin stretched. Elijah blinked and wondered if she knew about his first encounter with the Salvatore brothers.

"An arrogant ass?" He asked, eyebrow raised. He fought the smile that wanted to form on his lips. He didn't think anyone else would have the courage to say that to his face.

"Mhm," she nodded with mock seriousness. "But with amazing hair."

He snorted at that. She offered her help, insulted him and then complimented him. All in less than two minutes. Unfortunately, he felt his good mood seeping from him. They had more pressing matters to discuss.

"Why can't I feel you?"

She sighed, and he knew he wouldn't like the answer to his question. He saw her squaring her shoulders and braced himself for what was to leave her lips.

"One of the reasons would probably be because I died."

-.-.-

Elijah made his way to the Boarding House, mind still reeling from the earlier conversation. It would seem as if Anna's luck had not improved with time. He was sure she thought it had only gotten worse. Honestly, he didn't disagree. Apparently, she had been capable of finding a necromancer willing to teach her. But it seemed Anna's master didn't know the meaning of holding back.

_"I stopped counting after my thirtieth death."_

Not only that, but, according to Anna, her master's dabbling with the Death Arts was not exactly spread knowledge. Nowadays, she was known for an entirely different reason.

_"So, you remember how I told you I wanted to meet a War Mage? Yeah, I found one alright. Biggest bitch I have ever met, but dammit if she didn't know what she was doing. I learnt more from her in one month than I did in five years in Hogwarts," she said, a fond smile forming on her lips. "Anyway, after spending a while with her, I finally realized what had been bugging me about her magic. It was well hidden, and I doubt anyone else would have perceived it."_

She proceeded then to tell him that, some centuries ago, the woman had been known as one of the select few who achieved the level of Lord Necromancer – or Lady, as was the case. Then, after years of lying low, she had gotten bored and went on to become a War Mage. He listened, half-fascinated and half-sympathetic as she explained the brutal training she received in both Death and War Magic.

_"Apparently, the crazy bitch decided that ten years were not enough for me to learn anything of significance, so she performed some crazy ass ritual that send me to the past," she ranted. Elijah raised an eyebrow at seeing her so aggravated. It was downright amusing, if he were to say so. "Two thousand years!" She suddenly shrieked, and Elijah's eyes widened at that. If he was anyone else, he would be gaping at the revelation. As it was, he stared at her in utter surprise as she continued to tell him tales of her training._

She went on to tell him her adventures through time. She told him of places she went and that he never knew, of people she met that existed long before he was born. She spoke of the close encounters they had on the past, of how she avoided him every time they happened to be in the same building. And she admitted that once or twice she almost screwed the timeline because she missed him and wanted to talk to him.

And he remembered her, the mysterious and effusive lady that had stirred his and his siblings' curiosity every time they had laid eyes on her throughout the centuries. It had been clear she was human, so they had been understandably interested in knowing how she had managed to stay alive and unchanged.

Kol had also remembered her. His brother had told him how he had followed the witch, once; his curiosity getting the best of him. He had intended on approaching her, being his charming self, willing to solve the puzzle, when he caught a whiff of her aroma. Elijah didn't blame him for losing control. The stronger a magician was, the better they smelled. And Anna's kind did tend to get stronger with age. If Elijah wasn't so used to Anna (even if her scent was incredibly more potent now), he knew he would have lost control as soon as she stopped masking her smell when they entered her house.

As it was, Kol – after Anna had stopped his attack and sent him on his merry way – had developed a crush on the witch that had lasted until his next conquest.

Thinking about his younger brother made him think about the whole reason why he was in Mystic Falls, dealing with unruly children: Klaus. It also brought to the forefront of his mind all the worry and anxiousness that was emanating from the witch through their renewed connection. It was with fond exasperation that he sent calm and reassurance her way, knowing she would be feeling like that until the dinner was over.

_"Be careful, Elijah." Green eyes bored into his._

_"You don't have to worry so much, my dear," he replied. "I made a deal with Elena to protect her friends if she were to collaborate."_

_"It's not the doppelgänger you should be worried about, but the others. Especially the brothers." Raising an eyebrow at that – did she really think they could do anything to him? – he waited for her to elaborate. "I have a bad feeling about this."_ This_ he took seriously; Anna had almost a sixth sense to this kind of things._

_"Very well, then," he nodded._

When he came out of his thoughts, he was standing outside the Boarding House. Sighing, he made his way to the door and rang. A few seconds later, his dark eyes were staring into Damon's blue ones.

"Can I just say that, if you have less than honorable intentions about how this evening is going to proceed, I suggest you reconsider." He saw how the younger vampire was somewhat taken aback by his threat.

"No, nothing… nothing dishonorable. Just getting to know you," Damon tried to smile.

"That's good," Elijah said, entering the house. "Because, you know, although Elena and I have this deal, if you so much as make a move to cross me, I'll kill you and I'll kill everyone in this house. Are we clear?"

"Crystal."

Elijah let himself be distracted by the lovely Jenna as she came to greet him.

They had been discussing the founding of the town and the witch massacre when Jenna suddenly changed the subject.

"So, explain to us: how do you know Anna?"

John Gilbert started at that. "You know Ms. Potter?" He asked Elijah.

He chuckled at that. "We go way back." Seeing that the blonde had not been satisfied by his answer, identical to the one she had been given earlier by the raven, he decided to elaborate. "We met when she was seven."

Ms. Star gushed at that. "So you've known each other for a really long time!" She and Jenna exchanged excited glances.

"Indeed. Twenty-three years, in fact."

They all gaped at his revelation.

"No way!" He turned to Jenna, bewildered at her exclamation. "You're telling me Anna's thirty? She doesn't look older than twenty-five!"

Finally understanding the reason for all the drama, he felt amusement filling him – which caused a wave of curiosity to be sent his way, courtesy of the very person they were discussing. "Maybe she's just been blessed by good genetics," he remarked, seeing the three men trading wary glances, probably wondering why he revealed that. The funny thing was: if they ever decided to search around for information on her, it would match what he had just said.

"That must have been some incredible genes," Jenna said, getting a nod of agreement from Ms. Star. "What about her parents, did they look as young as she does when they were thirty?"

"I wouldn't know," he answered her politely, wondering if they would really start interrogating him about his relationship with the raven. "I've never met them."

"Why not, afraid they wouldn't approve of you?"

The smile he offered the blue-eyed vampire was glacial, as was his voice when he spoke. "Because they're dead."

The rest of dinner was spent in silence.

He was in the library with Damon, discussing the ritual, then the younger's book collection when they were interrupted by both Alaric and Ms. Star; something about dessert.

He had been so distracted by the others he never realized Alaric's intention. He was caught completely by surprise when he felt something sharp piercing his heart and the world going black.

He woke up in a basement. It took him three fractions of a second to realize that he recognized that feeling just before he lost consciousness. He had not been staked. He had been _daggered_. Feeling anger start to course through his veins, he made his way out of the building – absentmindedly realizing he was still in the Boarding House – and towards the house his warlock was occupying.

"What happened?"

"I need you to find Elena. Now!"

He made his way to the location Elena had been hiding with Stefan. He picked some stones and, just like he had done with the coins, he threw them at the door, breaking it just like the tempered glasses. He heard the little couple discussing about how he couldn't enter the house. It didn't matter to him, he could outwait them and he told them so.

Elena appeared at the door then, trying to bargain with him. Did she really think that it would be that easy? He called her bluff just to watch, horrified, as she stabbed herself. He could only look, impotent, as she bled to death, unable to reach her. In that moment of desperation, he accepted her deal. He was just too close to accomplish his goal to allow her to die now. He grabbed her stumbling form, steadying her, and once again felt a dagger pierce his heart.

-.-.-

Across the town, Anna doubled over in pain, feeling as if someone had just stabbed her in the heart. She lied on the ground, where she had fallen, trying to catch her breath. Dammit, but this shit had hurt. She pondered that it would have hurt less if she had indeed died from a stab wound instead of just feeling the pain.

For a few moments (she couldn't possible say if it had been minutes or hours), she felt absolutely nothing from where her connection with Elijah should be. Frowning – and feeling more than a little worried – she sent her magic to prod at the ends of their connection. Nothing. She wondered if this is how he was feeling earlier when he realized their connection had been severed, this great void deep inside his mind. It was also kind of disconcerting that she would feel the loss so keenly after centuries of absence. The distance had dulled the connection somewhat, getting weaker everytime she died. It was all but severed when she was thrown back in time. She surmised that the only reason why she could still feel him was because, no matter how many times he had his neck snapped, was staked or daggered, his status never changed. He was still dead.

She was musing on this, when, so sudden that it let her gasping, fury, overwhelmingly intense, filled her being, threatening to consume her. For one heart-wrenching moment, it was replaced by a sense of desperation before the sensation of being stabbed was felt again and Anna, who had stumbled to her feet dazedly, crashed down again. _Holy motherfucking shit!_ This time around, the object used remained in place. It took her a while to think through the pain and vestiges of both anger and despair. Only when she was finally capable of coherent thought did she realize that Elijah had been daggered.

_Fuck_.

* * *

That's all. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.


	3. Chapter 2

Hey guys. So, it's been a while, but here it is: chapter 2. To be honest, I had half of this sitting on my computer for more than two months while I wondered what the hell I was going to do with it. I find it exceedingly difficult to write from Elijah's point of view, and having someone calling him out on his mistakes is kind of weird since he is, to me, the most cautious brother, the one who thinks things through. I just hope to have done him justice.

This chapter has not been betaed. I'm the not so proud owner of all mistakes found. If you find any, please, make me know so I can fix it ASAP.

* * *

_Chapter 2_

Anna absentmindedly traced the ceiling with her eyes. She was trying to distract herself from the not-so-phantom pain in her chest. She allowed her mind to wander for a while before deciding to try and come up with an explanation to what had happened. Considering that she had been observing Elena's group for the last year (creating new mental profiles for each new member, cataloging their strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, etc. It would not do, after all, to be caught by surprise), and that she knew Elijah rather well, it was not really that difficult for her to guess. After dinner, Elijah's guard had been sufficiently dropped that one of Damon's guests – Alaric, most probably – stabbed the Original with the dagger and, not knowing that it had to remain in his heart if they wanted the elder vampire to be down, removed it from his chest.

Elijah had awoken, furious at the betrayal _and_ humiliation, went after Elena (as he had told Anna he would do if she or any of her friends were to break their deal). But the doppelgänger was out of town, so he had to have gone to his warlock to gather her location.

What Anna could not really understand was how the bloody hell could Elijah allow himself to be daggered a second time after having just woken up? And what could have him desperate enough for his emotion to nearly cripple her?

Getting to her feet, she decided that some sleep was in order. Sure, she could go to Elijah's warlock and ask for Elena's little hideout - the sooner she could resolve this situation, the better for her. _Or_ she could wait for Damon's return – because she knew he would come back – and tear the Original's whereabouts out of him. Option two sounded a lot more satisfying, especially as he was the one responsible for the current painful state she was in. It was time someone taught the little upstart some respect.

-.-.-

She appeared silently in front of the Boarding House (it had been a long while since she learned of more effective and less uncomfortable ways of travel than apparition (that she had forgotten all about the day before, excited as she was about seeing Elijah again)) and stared for a minute. She still found it weird to see a house of magical beings without protection. She was used to having to dismantle at least one alarm whenever she wanted to break into someone's house – at least those times she did not want the owners' to know she was coming. It was as if these people thought the only threat worth protecting against were other vampires. _Ridiculous._

She tried the door and found it unlocked. Scoffing at the Salvatores' arrogance, she decided to take it as an invitation and, with a little application of strength, slammed it against the wall as she made her entrance. She had been tempted to blow it off its hinges, furious as she was, but decided the noise would suffice. No need to waste magic when it was not necessary.

The response was immediate; as she made her way to the living room, two vampires blurred in front of her. One of them, as expected, was Damon; the other…

"My, my… so that was how the little band of misfits knew how to neutralize Elijah," she said as she regarded the brunette in front of her. If she had not seen others like her throughout the centuries, she would have been flabbergasted at her looks.

She saw them both exchanging glances before they turned to her. "We have no idea what you're talking about," the doppelgänger told her, fixing an innocent look on her face, trying to fool her. Anna raised an eyebrow, was this the best they could do? She asked them that and watched, amused, as Petrova's face shifted to worried, as if concerned for the state of Anna's mental health. She had to admit, the Bulgarian was a fantastic actress. She had Elena's mannerisms spot on. If Anna did not know who exactly was in front of her, she would have believed the deceit.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be shacking up with Elijah?" Damon asked her, causing his companion to turn sharply in his direction before returning her attention to Anna, a new, speculative glint in her eyes.

Anna just stared at Damon. _How uncouth_. For someone who was raised as a southern gentleman, he was leaving much to be desired. Besides, did he really think that his attempt at subterfuge would work? She had just mentioned them neutralizing the Original, which meant she already _knew_ what happened. She tilted her head, considering him. How was it that this _child_ was giving Elijah so much trouble? "You see, _Damon_," she saw him startle at the use of his given name, something she had previously avoided to do, "in order to… _shack up_ with someone, as you put it, that someone needs to be present," she said it slowly, as if explaining to a toddler, and was rewarded by his eyes narrowing in anger.

"That doesn't explain why you're here. Shouldn't you be looking for him?" He crossed his arms.

"I am. This is his last known location." She held back a smile when she saw his jaw clenching in anger. She had been there when they were discussing their dinner party. She had been _invited_, for Death's sake! Did he really think she was stupid?

"Well, he's not here." It seemed the brunette tired of being ignored. Anna shifted her eyes to the vampire; she had also crossed her arms and had shifted her weight to one foot.

"And how would you know that, _Katerina_?"

If she were anyone else, or a more dramatic person, Anna would have said that all hell broke loose with that one question, but being who she was, she decided it would be too theatrical to affirm that. Really, there were not enough people present to cause what Anna considered to be chaos (besides, she preferred to leave all that _drama queen shit _to her previous masters). As it was, she drew some glee from the way the Bulgarian's eyes widened in surprise – Anna internally cackled at the wee amount of panic she could perceive in those dark orbs – and the way her body tensed. She did end up slammed against the wall, though. And while there were situations when she did not mind when this happened, seeing as she was not about to indulge in a bout of debauchery with either vampire, she _did_ mind it now.

She looked up, angry emerald-green eyes locking with angry icy-blue. She saw his pupils contracting and waited for his compulsion.

"Tell me who you are?"

A vampire's compulsion was a strange thing. It was like a mix of a truth serum, a Confounding Spell and a Mind Controlling one. It was all encompassing and the only thing she could compare it to would be the _Imperius_, even though it was nothing like the curse. While the Unforgivable was subtle, leaving you with nothing but a euphoric feeling while in the caster's thralldom, much like a lover's caress, the compulsion was wild and unrelenting, slamming against her mind and demanding total submission. Too bad Anna was never one to bow down to anyone and so, instead of giving him what he wanted, she took advantage of their eye contact and delved into his mind. She searched it for information on the Original and was rewarded by the memories of their encounters.

_Rescuing Elena and impaling the dark-haired vampire with his own makeshift weapon, confident in his victory._

_Surprise, disbelief and fear as his eyes went from the fallen vampires to the one standing, two hearts falling, one from each hand. He had been prepared to face the brunet, only to be, once again, surprised by the other's retreat._

_The Historical Society; a conversation and a pencil impaled in his neck._

_Pain everywhere. Watching as the elder murdered the wolves that had tortured him, making it seem as easy as breathing, then breaking his chains and leaving._

_Jenna appearing alongside Elijah, making Alaric's jealousy sky-rocket. Plans of a dinner party interrupted by Mystic Falls' most mysterious resident. Intrigue at hers and the Original's relationship. Disappointment at her refusal, smugness at his acceptance._

_The dinner party. Him and Elijah talking in the library. Watching as Alaric stabbed the elder in the back, feeling smug that _his_ plan worked. Dragging the body, with the hunter's help, to the basement._

_Listening as Elena tricked Elijah and daggered him again. Dragging him, once again, to the basement, this time with Stefan's help, as Elena watched them. Taking the moonstone from one of the elder's pocket._

_Trying to burn the Original to ashes so he could get the dagger back, only for it to fail miserably. Listening as Katherine said he was indestructible. Threatening to burn the lying bitch, only to end up not doing it._

Anna retreated from his mind and saw him falling to his knees, clutching his head. With a flick of her wrist, she broke his neck.

"Damon!" She watched as the doppelgänger hesitated between going to him and escaping. Self-preservation won, and the brunette turned to run away. Anna snapped her fingers and watched as Katerina fell, her feet having sunk into the floor as if it was quicksand before it solidified, trapping her. The vampire tried to free her limbs to no avail before turning panicked brown eyes to her. "What do you want?"

"Nothing much," she answered, moving to crouch in front of the downed vampire, then took one of her olive skinned hands into her pale ones. Katerina had obviously tried to tug it away, but one warning look from her was enough to make the vampire settle down.

"Who are you?" Dark eyes watched, wary but curious, as she intertwined their fingers.

"The name's Anna Potter," she answered, watching as those same orbs snapped to hers, shocked. Like many others before, they went to search for the faded scar on her forehead. "And what I want is for you to vow to not reveal anything you know about me to any of them – or anyone, for that matter – unless I give you permission."

Axinite eyes filled with defiance. "And if I don't?"

"Well, we _are_ surrounded by wooden furniture," she gestured with her free hand. Anna regarded as her jaw clenched before she nodded once, just as Anna knew she would.

"I, Katerina Vladimirovna Petrova, do solemnly swear not to reveal anything I know about Anna Potter unless given permission by her. So mote it be." A tendril of magic surrounded their hands, and Anna felt her lips tugging up as the annoyance in the Bulgarian's face was replaced by childlike wonder. She would never tire of seeing this kind of reaction.

"So mote it be." The magic retreated into their skin, and Anna released the other's hand and arose from her position. "Seeing as I'm not so cruel, instead of dying if you so much as utter a word about me to anyone, you'll be incapable of doing so." Magic was all about intent, after all. While spells and chants helped mold it, they would not work if the caster did not want or believe they would.

"So, basically, I can't talk about you."

"Exactly. Though I give you permission to talk about me with Elijah," Anna held back her cackles at the considering look she was receiving, "and to discuss with the others things they do already know."

"And nothing else?"

"Nothing else."

"Where's the wand?"

Anna pulled it out from one of her pockets and showed it to the Bulgarian before pocketing it again. Wands, she had learnt, while wonderful pieces of magic, were nothing more than crutches. In the past, they were used so children would get accustomed to drawing their magic and then would get... not discarded, but put aside unless their owners needed to realize a more delicate work, like dismantling a thirteen-layered ward, for example.

Katerina sighed. "I suppose you can't spare me the broken neck."

"And have Damon suspect you of nefarious plots?" She asked, amusement filling her.

The brunette's lips thinned as she considered her options. With a growl, she voiced her consent. "Do it."

And so Anna did; she flicked her wrist, Katerina's head thudded on the floor and her feet were freed.

She sighed and rubbed her chest. Now that there was no one distracting her, the phantom sensation became more prominent. With a grimace, she extended her free hand and summoned the moonstone and the vial containing the white oak ashes to her. Once in her possession, she dropped them inside one of the pockets of her jacket, which was expelled with an Undetectable Expansion Charm (all of them were, in fact), then made her way to the basement.

When she saw the state that he was in, she froze. She took in the grayish and desiccated look of his skin, the way his clothes were in tatters and burnt in some places and recalled Damon's memory of trying to set the Original on fire. She felt the fury she was trying to ignore (fueled by the pain in her chest and the void in her mind) double in intensity, her magic reacting to her emotions and making the ground shake. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to center herself; there was no need to bring the house down, especially as she was still inside. When she felt her magic retreating inside of her, she went and kneeled beside him, took a hold of the dagger and pulled. With another sigh, she spelled it clean before putting it in the same pocket as the other acquired items.

She pulled Elijah to a sitting position, then slung one of his arms over her shoulder and stood, dragging him with her. Dammit, but he was _heavy_! She wondered if being in the state he was influenced his weight or not. It probably did, seeing as Damon had needed help to put him here. And Anna herself was not weak; she had had centuries to learn how to improve the strength of her body with sorcery. But even now she was having to reinforce her muscles with a flow of magic to keep them both standing. Honestly, Elijah was giving the expression 'dead weight' a whole new meaning.

With a scowl on her face, she called her magic and took them back to her house, more specifically, to the bedroom she had prepared for him. With a grunt of exertion, she threw him on the mattress and sighed in relief, rolling her shoulders. She took a moment to rearrange him in the bed before leaving. She had to find his warlock, after all, to catch him up about the night's events.

The things she did for Elijah…

-.-.-

It took her a while to find someone that knew where the Martins lived, but here she was, having just knocked on the door and waiting for someone to open it. It did not take long; a black man with a goatee and glasses stood in front of her. Anna could feel the magic emanating from the relatively powerful warlock.

"Can I help you?" He looked at her from head to toe, assessing her level of threat. She felt a smile tugging at her lips; finally someone with a good head on his shoulders.

"Are you Dr. Jonas Martin?" She knew he was, but she also knew that just blurting things would make him warier of her. Once he nodded, she extended her hand (politeness never hurt anyone, after all). "Anna Potter. I'm here in Elijah's stead."

His eyes snapped to hers in surprise. She could also see a smidgen of suspicion too. "I've been told he's dead."

"Do you really believe it?" Her eyes did not stray, and she maintained her hand outstretched. A few moments passed like this. Finally, Dr. Martin extended his own hand and shook hers. It looked like she passed his test, whatever it had been.

He bid her to enter and gestured to a book-filled table and two chairs. "What happened?"

"Elijah was daggered." Anna saw his confused look and had to remind herself that not everyone knew what she was talking about. It _was_ a jealously guarded secret. She was surprised, though, when his gaze shifted to comprehension. _Huh?_ Well, she supposed that there were some witches who liked to talk, and Wiccans did seem to hate vampires. "Nothing for you to worry about, Dr. Martin. It's been taken care of. Suffice to say that Elijah's enemies think him to be dead and will probably ask you for your aid."

He deposited a mug filled with coffee on the table and took a seat in front of her. She thanked him and took a sip. It was delicious.

"They already did." He told her. She paused and put her mug down, frowning.

"I must admit, they know how to work fast."

"There's no need to worry, I have no intention of working with them."

"May I ask why not? You witches like to act as if you were an extended family. Why wouldn't you help the Bennett girl?" Anna was really curious about this. It was not like their type to not aid a fellow magic practitioner.

"Because Bonnie Bennett pretended to befriend my son, drugged him so she could use a spell that would force him to unknowing reveal our secrets and then pretended nothing happened. That was after she almost killed him by drawing strength from him without his consent to cast a spell that was way out of her league."

Anna blinked. She knew there was some rivalry between families, but, like she mentioned before, this kind of witches formed a tightknit group. To hear that a member of such a respected family like the Bennetts used witchcraft to harm other witches without cause was disconcerting. "This is… unexpected."

He just offered her a small a wry smile. "I know." There was a moment of silence where both processed the information shared. "Is Elijah okay?"

"He is, though I don't doubt he will be pissed when he wakes up." Dr. Martin raised a disbelieving brow at that, and Anna bit back a chuckle. People did not really believe the Original had a temper, so great was his self-control. She, of course, knew better. She had seen how much damage the vampire was capable of inflicting. Just like a furious storm. But that was neither here nor now.

She would have said more, but she felt her connection with Elijah coming back online and decided it was time to excuse herself and go back home. She made her way to a side alley and disappeared.

-.-.-

Elijah took a shuddering breath and sat up. It took a moment before the vestiges of the magic present in the dagger left him and he could think clearly again. He looked around and found himself in a nicely furnished bedroom. He blinked in confusion. He doubted either Salvatore would be nice enough to offer him a room. In fact, it would not have surprised him if he were to awaken in a basement of sorts. It was only after he took a deep breath and had his nose assaulted by the scent of vanilla and roses and _power_ that he allowed himself to relax.

He absolutely _hated_ being daggered. The sensation of being put in an enchanted sleep was something he had never enjoyed. Not only because he hated the thought of being that vulnerable, but also because of the slight sense of disorientation upon awakening and the thirst... oh God, the _thirst_! It was as if those thrice damned daggers were made to suck out all the energy from him.

Before he could dwell on these thoughts, Anna entered the room, carrying a jug filled with blood. She offered it to him, along with a glass. She did not utter a word, and Elijah knew she was quite upset with him. He did not even need to search their bond to know it.

He opened his mouth but was interrupted before a sound could leave his mouth.

"How, exactly, did those children manage to dagger you, not once, but twice?" She did not shout. In fact, her voice was as even as her gaze, giving nothing away. Elijah would have preferred it if she had shouted, like she had been prone to do whenever she was upset in her younger years. It would make him feel less like a scolded and stupid child. It was funny how the roles had been reversed, now. He remembered a time when he was the one doing the scolding.

He did not wonder how she knew what had happened to him; he remembered her years at Hogwarts and the phantom pains every time she had been injured. And if what she had told him about her dying affecting the bond on his end, then it was only logical to assume that the opposite was also true. What effect did it have on her when _he_ was daggered? It was not as simple as a stake through the heart or a broken neck, after all. It was a bloody magical sleep, and he might as well be truly dead while the enchanted silver was piercing his heart.

He lowered the glass once it was empty, the blood soothing the pain in his throat. Anna had summoned a chair to herself and sat up straight. "I got careless," he sighed and was not comforted by the look she sent him, the message her eyes conveyed clear as day. _Obviously. _"Elena stabbed herself, and I couldn't allow her to die." But even to his ears, the explanation fell flat. He _knew_ neither Salvatore would allow the doppelgänger to die (and he knew Damon had been inside the house, his nervous heartbeat a dead giveaway), so why had he been so desperate when he had seen her bleeding?

"No matter the situation, always keep your head clear. To let your mind be clouded is to allow yourself a weakness the enemy will exploit," she told him, and he could hear the mocking; she was throwing his words right back at him, after all. It made his embarrassment at his current situation all the more pronounced, and he was sure she could feel it. Thankfully, she did not mention it. "What do you plan to do?"

He was grateful for the change of subject, though it brought to the forefront of his mind their current situation. _What, indeed_. Elena's action meant that their deal was null and void. He could kill all of her friends and family members and he would feel absolutely no remorse. It was what he had promised, was it not? He was sure the group was already aware he had been rescued. Were they running around like headless chicken, trying to figure out what he was going to do next? The thought brought a spark of vindictive amusement to him; they were right to be afraid, he had killed for less. Besides, getting revenge on Klaus took priority in his mind and, for that, he only needed Elena alive.

He came out of his musings to see viridian eyes regarding him. "I'm not sure yet," he admitted, getting a nod from her.

"I see."

And she went silent. It did not matter how long it had been for either of them, he knew her, and he knew he was not going to like what she had to say. He refilled his glass, contenting himself with satiating his thirst while he waited for her to gather her thoughts. She would tell him whatever was in her mind, his feelings be damned. She always did.

She opened her mouth, and he braced himself for whatever was to come. But nothing could have prepared him for what she said.

"I'm going to make a deal with Klaus."

Elijah froze, every cell on his being locking in place. "_What?_" He knew he had not misunderstood her words, she had pronounced each of them deliberately. He stared at her calm visage and felt a sting of betrayal in his chest. He gritted his teeth and pushed it aside. He would wait for her to explain herself before acting. She did have the tendency to surprise him. "Why?" _After everything, why would you go to him?_

For a while, she said nothing, just stared at him, and Elijah knew she was contemplating which words to use so she could convince him to go along with whatever it was she had planned. Suddenly, her whole demeanor changed, going from standoffish to weary. She slouched in her seat and ran a hand through her hair.

"Do you remember, ten years ago, when you told me about Katerina, how she ruined Klaus' chance of breaking the curse, and how angry he was?" Elijah nodded, not knowing where this was going. "I don't think you realized it, but you made it sound as if that was the last time you saw him and that, in his anger, he hunted down your siblings and drove you away."

"_I don't understand, Elijah, why would you want to kill your brother?"_

"_Klaus is not my only brother, Anna. I had siblings. Over the centuries, Klaus hunted them down one by one and took them from me. Then he scattered them across the seas so I could never find them."_

Elijah did not know what to think. He had never realized that the way he had spun his words had given Anna the impression that he had not seen his siblings in centuries. While that had been true in Finn's case, even then, they had carried his coffin wherever they went. Even Kol, who loved to defy them with his every breath, had always been with them (whenever he was daggered, at least). That was, until Niklaus threw all his siblings away.

"My apologies for the misunderstanding, love, but that still doesn't answer my question."

"The answer is quite simple," she crossed her arms and looked at him sullenly. "I want Kol's coffin."

He had known, by his younger brother's words, that he and Anna had become close (not that Elijah had known it was _her _at the time), but he had not expected them to be so close as to have her willing to make a deal with Niklaus. Not that it would do her any good, Kol was at the ocean floor, along with the others.

"I'm afraid that's impossible," he told her. "Haven't I told you that Klaus threw them at the sea?"

The look she threw him told him he was being an idiot. "Right," she drawled, and he clenched his teeth in annoyance. What was with her and making him feel like an imbecile today? "Because your brother suddenly decided he was tired of carrying the others around after doing it for eight hundred plus years."

While her comment made sense – it even planted a seed of hope in him before he squashed it – he knew how unpredictable Niklaus was. He could have done it on a fancy. Or he could have done it to make Elijah suffer. Both were equally probable when it came to him. "What makes you so sure he lied to me?"

"He's a werewolf," she shrugged. "Werewolves, much like their animal counterparts, are pack creatures. It's an instinctive thing. Who do you think they consider their first packs?"

Eyes widening in understanding, Elijah whispered. "Their families."

"Now, Klaus is not only a werewolf, he's an immortal one... Do you see where I'm going with this?"

He did. And _by the spirits_, he felt stupid! Hadn't Niklaus always spouted that the reason he daggered the others was for their own good? It was his excuse, that it was his way of protecting them (even when Elijah knew that it was him throwing a tantrum for not getting his way most of the time). It would not make any sense for him to rid himself of the others. _Always and forever._

Her voice tore Elijah was from his thoughts.

"Besides, this always points to a point close to Klaus' whereabouts." She fished a necklace from under her clothes. It had a silver chain and the pendant was a bloody red Celtic knot. He took a closer look at it. What caught his attention was that it _smelled_ like Kol. He sucked in a sharp breath when he realized why.

"Is this what I think it is?"

Anna said nothing, just smirked in response. No wonder she was so sure about Kol's location. She could track him wherever. And seeing as where one coffin was, so were the others, she knew where all of his siblings were.

"Why not simply take Kol's coffin and leave?" He wondered at that. She could have taken the younger Original and disappeared, and no one would have been the wiser.

"And have an angry hybrid on my ass?" She scoffed. Elijah raised an eyebrow, and she scowled. "He would have used blood to track Kol, and even I would be hard-pressed to hide him from family. Besides, I thought that you would like the chance to free at least one of your siblings. Who knows, maybe we can get two out of three, or even all of them if we're lucky," she shrugged.

"And what would you offer in exchange?"

"Well, I'm sure Mama Original put safety measures in case Klaus managed to break the curse. I'll just have to circumvent those and make sure that the dear wolf cub you have for a brother is as free of magical restraints as the day he first transitioned. That and I can ensure there'll be no interferences," she finished in a pensive tone of voice.

"You do realize that you would need to know the step by step of the ritual, right?"

"That's where you come in. You were with him the last time he tried. _You _know what needs to be done."

He raised an eyebrow. "You want me to transcribe the ritual so you can study it."

"Pretty much."

Elijah exhaled. This was insane! He had spent the last century trying to find a way to kill his brother and now here he was, considering helping Klaus break his curse again. _But the circumstances have changed_, whispered a voice inside his mind. And they had. Now he was being presented with a chance to get his family back, even if it was just one sibling for now. But like Anna had said, _who knows?_ He now knew there was a possibility of reunion. There was hope. And, like they said, where there was a will, there was a way. Elijah was determined to have his siblings back. So much that he would stand up to even Mikael if it was what it took.

He stared at expectant viridian eyes and knew that, if it came to it, he would not be alone.

"Okay. Let's do it."

* * *

Tell me your thoughts on it.


End file.
